‘Lit’ screens nightly as part of the States of Blue West Projections Festival until – 10th of September 2016, 6-10pm at The Art Room, 125 Hyde St, Footscray VIC 3011. Walk or drive by to see the work projected at night. It’s on loop every evening till 10th Sept!
‘Lit’ is a 15 minute video work that evolved out of a need to address the lack of representation of women of colour in Australian mainstream media, film and TV through a collaboration between Australian Solomon Islander filmmaker Amie Batalibasi and South Sudanese actress Nyawuda Chuol.
Projected on a wall in residential Footscray, we see a young South Sudanese woman, always front and centre in the frame, walking through Melbourne’s CBD past significant landmarks like Flinders St, Federation Square, the Arts Centre. As she moves through buildings, crowds, shopping centres, her image is juxtaposed with captions via a social media feed that unapologetically declares her thoughts on culture, family, relationships, community, politics and black womanhood. Long takes are intercut with segments of speed and slow motion as she navigates through her environment, space and time, revealing moments of vulnerability (‘Words alone cannot express the hurt I feel’) and moments of power (‘My black is beautiful. My black is South Sudanese’). At times we observe, until her gaze is directed straight down the barrel at the audience.
‘Lit’ sets out to disrupt the narrative through an exploration of identity, race, perceptions, gaze and the politics of the black body. #LitWestProjections
Join the walking tour and festival closing party on Sat 10th September from 6pm starting at Kindred Studios and visiting several projection sites including the ‘Lit’ video and an artist talk. Walking tour details: CLICK HERE
Further updates about this project via the Facebook Event.
What: ‘Lit’ as part of States of Blue: West Projections Festival
When: Nightly 6-10pm until 10th of September 2016
Where: 125 Hyde St, Footscray VIC 3011 (The Art Room’s new location)
Walking Tour Bookings: here
Facebook Event: here